Horsemen Pack The Room For LVA Hearing
Bill MacDonald, Webmaster
September 27, 2010
The Joint Standing Committee on Legal and Veterans Affairs met today to hear testimony concerning the revenue sharing formula concerning revenues from slot machines.

The day-long meeting was held at the State House in Augusta. Horsemen filled the room to the point where two other rooms with audio feeds of the testimony was available for the overflow.

The participants of the revenue cascade were allowed to testify plus comments from the public. Presentations were made by the Agricultural Fairs, The Maine Racing Commission, Bangor Raceway, Scarborough Downs, The University of Maine System, The Fund for a Healthy Maine and the Maine Community College System. Charles Lawton, Ph. D., also spoke about his report on the economic contribution of horses to the Maine economy.

Public testimony was also taken by members of the racing community. Speakers included Ernie Lowell, Denise McNitt, DVM, Emily Fournier, Bethany Graffam, Barbara Dresser, Kelly Clifford, Lynn-Marie Plouffe, Mike Cushing, Dan Chamberlin, Richard Robertson, Jr. and Carolyn Corso.

The best testimony given today by a member of the horse industry was given by Samantha Robertson, daughter of Dick & Renee Robertson. We have reprinted it here for your reading pleasure.

I came today to speak on behalf of a generation which is the future of the Standardbred Harness Racing Industry. We are the young adults who have gone to the races on a Friday night to help our parents and grandparents race horses instead of going out with friends. We are the young adults who have watched as Jason Bartlett started racing at our age in Maine and went on to be a successful driver at the top tracks. But this is the problem for our generation, we do not want to have to move away from the deep family roots that we have in Maine’s harness racing because we can not afford to make a living in this state.

My grandfather and father both race horses in this business and have told me that despite the passion that I have for these horses and for the people that I work with, I can not continue their legacy because I can not afford to. My parents sent me to a private high school in hopes that I would be the first in my family to attend college. The world is changing and more and more people may be encouraged to go on and further their education in hopes for a better career. But this is the question I ask you, if anyone in this room has had the feeling of going to the winners circle and experienced the amazing self gratification that it gives you, would you ever do anything besides race horses?

So we are faced with a difficult decision everyday. Should we follow what our heart tells us to do and what our family has done for three or four generations, or should we stop supporting the state of Maine and its economy through harness racing because the state stops supporting us. As a state, Maine should want their harness tracks to be compared to Saratoga, Yonkers and even Dover Downs. People should want to move to Maine because of this industry, not move away from it.

Don Marean, Michael Andrew, and Chandler Woodcock also gave presentations on behalf of the industry.

The committee is scheduled to meet two more times in October before their report deadline in November.